Page 51 (1/1)

It looks less like a school, and more like a castle

I stand at the edge of the lawn in front of Adamson's All-Boys Acadee, red, and yellow leaves swirl around the ankles of her up onpath toward the employee entrance

My dad's not far ahead ofdown on our heads He unlocks the door, gestures me inside, and then closes it behind him

“Why don't you head down to the cafeteria, find a spot, and get settled?” Dad asks, trying to s at him I'm still mad I'll probably stay mad the rest of the year because …

“My boobs hurt,” I blurt, and he flushes bright red “And the bandages are pulling on my nipples”

“Charlotte,” he snaps back, reaching up to rub at his forehead “May I remind you that this was your idea, not e your mind”

“No thank you,” I quip, turning and pushing out of the office and into the hallway Froht California sunshine, beaches and bikinis, to … this Frost-nipped air, piles of sli to experiment on me I’ve been here two minutes and already I don’t like it Back in Santa Cruz, I had friends, a boyfriend, and a passion for surfing Here in … where are we again? Nobody-Gives-a-Crap, Connecticut?

The hallways here are cavernous, with stone arches and brick walls, s lass, and mosaic floors The teachers are all stuffy and dressed in suits, as opposed to my last school where most of the staff wore shorts and sneakers

My chest is tight as I pull up the school map on my phone and make my way to the cafeteria Apparently, Adamson has won all sorts of awards for their school food It’s all sustainable, and prireenhouses in the back There’s even a chicken coop that all students are required to take a teek shift helping with Yeah, so not looking forward to that

Slipping in the big, double wooden doors, I find the roole boy in the corner, hunched over a bowl of crealances up as I walk in, adjusts his ear buds, and then looks back down at the open book sitting beside his bowl

For a moment there,up a hand to touch , blond and luxurious Now, it’s … cut in this nerdy, androgynous sort of way—long in the front and on the top, short on the sides and back It’s naturally curly, too, so if I don’t straighten it, it flops in ringlets over my forehead and looks even shorter Paired with lasses (I usually wear contacts), an oversized blazer, and the athletic tape I wrapped over my breasts, I don’t think anyone will look at me twice

It’s a strategic move on my part to pick a seat near the trash cans Hopefully nobody will sit nearto put up with aard conversation My whole goal here is to convince eles—to let me move in with her I’ll still be five hours away from my boyfriend, Cody, and my best friend, Monica, but that’s better than a forty-four hour drive like it is now

Flopping my backpack onto the table, I put my elbon and then rubanyin the shiny wood tables, the reclaimed wood floors, and the chandeliers made out of … antlers Mm Not exactly my aesthetic

I leaveht be a cafeteria, but the food looks good I’es of oatmeal, and dry s, fresh fruit, and even smoothies I’ll admit it: I’m mildly impressed

That feeling only lasts so long as it takes for the cafeteria to fill up with students

I’irl at this school, the first ferated curriculu My dad calls it social progress; I call it an experireat that the acadeender population I ? There’s no room for an all-boys school anyender norms are ridiculous social constructs